Arms and fake explosives smuggled onto plane

A row erupted today between union officials and Manchester Airport over Friday's much-publicised breach of security.

Bill Morris, the Trade and General Workers Union general secretary, said his "worst fears had been realised" when arms and fake explosives were smuggled on to a commercial flight.

Mr Morris said he had written to Transport Secretary Stephen Byers asking for a full public inquiry.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We warned that this would happen. On December 9, I wrote to the Secretary of State Stephen Byers, pointing out that the level of security personnel at Manchester Airport was dangerously low and something should be done about it.

"I have to say that his reply was breathtakingly complacent, and the airport decided that they would try to gag the TGWU and said I shouldn't talk about it."

Mr Morris said he did not know whether the security worker who has been suspended over the incident was one of his members.

But he added: "I suspect it is one of the untrained personnel that they have brought in, people who have got no experience, no training and people who frankly ought not to be put in such a sensitive and important position.

"I will be asking for a public inquiry, because we are at a point where we can take absolutely no risk with the safety of passengers, and Manchester Airport have demonstrated that they have not got the capability to deliver a safe and incident-free airport."

Manchester Airport reacted angrily to Mr Morris' comments, saying yesterday's incident had nothing to do with the industrial action which has dogged the airport since Monday.

A spokeswoman said: "The only thing we can say is that it has absolutely nothing to do with Bill Morris. He knows nothing about the situation.

"Yesterday's events have absolutely nothing to do with the security issues here. How Bill Morris can make comments about something he knows nothing about, I don't know."

Hour-long strikes were held at Manchester Airport on Monday, Thursday and this morning, from 6am to 7am.

Workers are protesting at new employment proposals which, they say, will mean a 40% cut in wages, longer hours and a reduction in holiday allowance.

Flights ran to schedule throughout all the strikes with extra staff being drawn in to cover the picketers.

Though discussions were held yesterday between union officials and the airport, no satisfactory conclusion has been reached.

A TGWU spokesman said: "We hope the point we have been making consistently about the possibility of security being compromised will actually get through to the airport.

"Starting from a week today there will be two-hourly stoppages from 5am to 7am and the following week two slots of two-hourly strikes from 6am to 8am and 6pm to 8pm on Monday and Thursday."

Yesterday's breach involved fake explosives, detonators and real guns being taken undetected on to a British Airways flight between Manchester and Gatwick.

The potentially lethal cargo was planted by a company testing security procedures at Manchester Airport and permission was sought from British Airways before checking in the bag.

A security guard employed by Securicor ADI - the company responsible for scanning luggage passing through the airport - has been suspended and an investigation has been launched.

An ADI spokesman said last night: "At Manchester Airport training equipment designed to test security procedures was allowed to pass through a hold baggage screening area by a fully trained, experienced, and CTC-cleared security agent.

"The individual who failed to spot the package has been suspended pending a full investigation.

"We act upon any reported failings in individuals or systems and have taken immediate action in this instance. British Airways has expressed full confidence in our actions."